Self-framed pictures



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. H. POERTNER SELF-FRAMED PICTURES l7 2/ if 3/ 2? 1 F f) f);

gfzigsq w Nov. 22, 1966 Filed June 29, 1964 INVENTOR.

ALLA/v HENRY POERTNER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,286,387 "SELF-FRAMED PICTURES Allan Henry Poertner, Denver, Colo., assignor to I Uniframe C0rp., Denver, Colo., a corporation of Colorado i Filed June 29, 1964, Ser. No. 378,554 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-154) The invention relates to a self-framed picture and has for its principal object the provision of a flat, unitary card-board blank so shaped, imprinted or lithographed, and scored so that it can be quickly and permanently formed into a completely framed picture ready for wall hanging, I

Another object is to provide a self-framing picture, the frame of which though unitary withthe picture will be three dimensional with accurately finished metered corners giving the appearance of a picture conventionally framed in an expensive independent frame.

. A further object is to provide means for instantly, uniformly and permanently sealing the frame structure to the picture surface throughout the entire periphery of the surface without gaps or wrinkles and without the use of staples or other spaced fastening devices. 7

A still further object is to provide a self-framed picture wherein the picture carrying surface may be highly calendered for perfect lithographic reproduction and in which the frame surface can be uncalendered to give the appearance of wood or other material differing from the picture surface.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the descrip tion.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front face view of the cardboard blank from which the self-framed picture is formed;

FIG. 2 is a rear face view of the blank of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the complete self-framed picture formed from the blank of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the picture, taken on the line 44, FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view showing a step in the process of forming the self-framed picture;

FIG. 6 is a still further enlarged fragmentary, detail section taken on the line 66, FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a detail fragmentary end view of a portion of the assembled frame.

The blank is preferably stamped from relatively heavy cardboard of a type having a highly calendered front surface 12, shown in FIG. 1, and an uncalendered or mat rear surface 13, shown in FIG. 2. The picture to be framed is imprinted or lithographed on the highly calendered surface 12, as indicated at 14, surrounded by a relatively wide, completely enclosing border area 15 which, in turn, is surrounded by a scored border line 16 which outlines a rectangular back area for the picture 14 and its border 15.

The top and bottom portions of the scored border line 16 foldably join horizontally elongated similar top and bottom frame edge areas 17 and 18, respectively, to the border area 15 throughout the length of the latter. The left and right end portions of the scored border line 16 similarly join vertical elongated similar left and right frame edge areas 19 and 20, respectively, to the ends of the border area 15.

A horizontally elongated top frame face area 21 is foldably joined to the top frame edge area 17 throughout the length of the latter through the medium of a top scored fold line 22 and a similar elongated bottom frame face area 23 is similarly joined to the bottom frame edge area 18 through the medium of a bottom scored fold line 24. A vertically elongated left frame face area 25 is foldably joined tothe left frame edge area 19 by a left scored fold line 26 and a similar vertically elongated right frame face area 27 is foldably joined to the right frame edge area 20 by a right scored fold line 28.

An elongated, upper, horizontal sealing flap 29 and a similar lower sealing flap 30 are foldably secured to the top frame face area 21 and the bottom frame face area 23, respectively, by means of a second top and a second bottom scored fold line 31 and 32, respectively. A vertically-elongated left and sealing flap 33 and a similar right end sealing flap 34 are foldably secured to the left and right frame face areas 25 and 27, respectively, by means of a second left scored fold line 35, and a second right scored fold line 36, respectively.

The above top and bottom areas 17, 18, 21 and 23, and the upper and lower sealing flaps 29 and 30 are all equal in length to the border area 15. The top and bottom frame face areas 21 and 23 terminate at both their extremities in triangular frame closing tabs 37 joined thereto by scored fold lines 38. The left and right frame edge areas 19 and 20 are equal in height to the border area 15 and each terminates at both of its extremities in an arcuate corner locking tab 39 joined thereto on a tab fold line 40. The left and right frame face areas are equal in length to the left and right frame edge areas 19 and 20 where they join the latter, The extremities of the left and right frame face areas 25 and 27, however, are inclined inwardly toward each other at an angle of 45, as shown at 41, to join the left and right end sealing flaps 33 and 34. The latter flaps have a vertical length equal to the height of the border area 15 less twice the Width of the frame face areas.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the back sides of all of the areas 17, 18, 19, 20', 21, 23, 25, and 27, and the aligning tabs 37, and the corner closing tabs 39 are lithographed or imprinted to simulate any desired frame surface such as wood coloring and graining, as illustrated in FIG. 2. It is preferred to extend the simulated design inwardly across the scored border line 16, as indicated at 42, so that the eventual fold along the line 16 will be completely covered.

A strip of double-faced adhesive tape 43 is permanently secured by means of its lower adhesive face along the back side of each of the end sealing flaps 33 and 34 adjacent to, and parallel with, the second scored fold lines 35 and 36. A similar strip of double-faced adhesive tape 44 is similarly secured to the back side of the upper and the back side of the lower sealing flaps 29 and 30 adjacent to, and parallel with, the second top and bottom scored fold lines 31 and 32. The upper adhesive faces of all of the adhesive strips are temporarily covered by a removable fabric cap strip 45.

The self-framing pictures are initially marketed in the flat sheet condition of FIGS. 1 and 2. Before being hung they are self-framed, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The framing is accomplished by laying the blank upon a flat surface and peeling the fabric cap strips from the top and bottom portions thence bending the latter portions vertically upward upon the scored top and bottom border lines 16. The upper and lower sealing flaps 29 and 30 are now folded inwardly and downwardly j; on the second top and bottom fold lines 31 and 32 and the top and bottom frame face areas 21 and 23 are folded toward each other along the scored fold lines 22 and 24 until the sealing flaps 29 and 30 be flat against the border area 15 and in abutting relation with the vertical top and bottom frame edge areas 17 and 18, as shown in FIG. 6. Finger pressure is now applied along the inner edge of the folded frame face areas 21 and 23 to adhesively and permanently attach the sealing flaps, throughout their entire lengths, to the exposed adhesive surfaces of the adhesive strips 44. We have now provided a top and a bottom frame member of hollow triangular cross-section for the picture 14. The ends of the top and bottom frame member are now closed by swinging the four triangular closing tabs 37 downwardly into the ends of the two frame members as shown in FIG. 5.

The fabric cap strips 45 are now peeled from the two end adhesive tapes 43 and the two end portions of the blank are bent and folded, as shown in FIG. 5, similarly to the procedure above described with reference to the end portions, the four arcuate locking tabs 39 are turned upwardly so that they will slidably rotate into the extremities of the top and bottom frame members between the triangular closing tabs and the frame edge areas to completely close the corner, as shown in FIG. 7.

When in final position, the inclined end frame face areas 25 and 27 will overlap and lay tightly against the inclined top and bottom frame face areas 21 and 23 so that the inclined frame surfaces will be completely closed at the corners without the possibility of gapping or separating. The continuous adhesive attachment prevents any gapping or separation between the frame and the picture area. Thus, a framed picture is provided having the appearance of a picture with a perfect, expensive independent frame.

While a specific form of the invention has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the" invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A self-framing picture comprising: a rectangular cardboard blank having a picture on its front face; elongated frame edge areas foldably joined to the top, bottom and end edges of said blank; elongated frame face areas foldably joined to the outer edges of said frame edge areas; elongatedsealing flaps foldably joined to the outer edges of said frame face areas; adhesive areas on the back faces of, and extending the full length of, said sealing flaps so that said frame edge areas may be folded upwardly from said blank and said frame face areas may be folded inwardly over said blank and said sealing flaps may then be folded outwardly between said frame face areas and said blank and adhe'sively secured to the latter through the medium' of said adhesive areas to form a closed three-dimensional frame of triangular cross section about said picture; a triangular closing tab foldably attached on each extremity of the frame face areas at the top and bottom of said blank which may be folded to close the extremities of the triangular cross section; and an arcuate locking tab foldably projecting from each extremity of the two frame edge areas at the ends of said blank for insertion into the extremities of the two frame edge areas at the top and bottom of said blank when said frame is assembled to close the corners of the latter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,450,790 4/1923 Sonn 4O--154 2,806,310 9/1957 Boyd 40l54 2,950,556 8/1960 Larios 40-154 2,964,866 12/1960 Chamberlain 40-159 X EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

' W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. 

